An easy barbecue meatloaf dinner with potatoes and broccoli is prepared on a single sheet pan to save time and reduce dishes.
Sheet metal dishes are my secret to quick and easy one-pan dinners that don’t require you to spend a lot of time in the kitchen or dirty a bunch of dishes.
After a bit of prep, dinner is cooking in the oven, leaving you most of your time free to hang out with your kids or do little chores before sitting down for dinner. This is a weekday recipe that I’m sure you’ll be adding to your dinner rotation.
The meatloafs are seasoned with chilli powder and topped with barbecue sauce for a smoky and sweet flavor. Frying the potatoes helps them get crispy on the outside while remaining tender on the inside, and the mustard adds a flavorful and peppery bite.
Everyone in my family is a big fan of roasted broccoli. If you’re used to steamed broccoli, which can easily turn broccoli soft and mushy, you just have to try cooking it this way. The broccoli becomes slightly crispy in the oven and tastes even spicier.
The best ground beef for meatloaf
I always choose 85/15 ground beef for meatloaf, meaning the meat is 85% lean and 15% fat. The fat content in 85/15 beef helps keep the meatloaf soft and juicy. Since meatloaf is baked in the oven, it can dry out easily on a leaner mix, like 5% or 10% fat content.
Flavor the meatloaf with dried spices
Here’s a secret: I never add fresh vegetables to my meatloaf.
Traditional meatloaf recipes call for sautéing vegetables—usually a mixture of onions, peppers, and/or celery—and adding them to the meatloaf mixture. This can be a great way to get your kids to eat some more veggies, but this step also adds time and more dishes to the sink since you’ll need to chop and sauté veggies before mixing and shaping the meatloaf mixture.
Instead of chopping and frying, I rely on my spice cabinet to add lots of flavor to my meatloaf and I never hear any complaints.
- Dehydrated onion flakes add onion flavor without any extra prep work.
- Chili powder and paprika give the meat a smoky, BBQ-inspired flavor. If you prefer more spiciness, you can increase the amount of chili powder to 1 teaspoon. If you just want a hint, stick with using 1/2 teaspoon chili powder as directed.
The best way to mix meatloaf mixture
I believe your hands are the best tool you have for preparing meatloaf. I always mix and shape my meatloaf by hand.
I’ve learned from reworking meatloaf in the past that a light touch helps keep the meatloaf light and moist, rather than compact and chewy. I like to shred the meat a bit before adding the other ingredients as ground beef tends to get compacted in packages. Then you want to lightly mix the meatloaf until the ingredients are just mixed in.
The same goes for shaping the mini meatloaf: scoop a quarter of the mixture lightly with your hands and gently pat into a loaf shape rather than squeezing and compacting the meat.
recipe variations
You can turn this recipe into new meals by changing the type of potato and green vegetables you pair with it.
Instead of broccoli, you can try roasting green beans or Brussels sprouts. Green beans can be added at the same point in the recipe as the broccoli, but they may get crispier faster, so keep an eye on them. Brussels sprouts take a little longer to roast, so you can add them to the sheet pan with the meatloaf and potatoes and roast the whole time.
Any type of potato will work with this recipe. Try red cabbage, sweet potatoes, or red potatoes for different flavors and colors.
store leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in a sealed storage container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and reheated in the microwave. I like to dampen a paper towel and place it on my plate to keep the meat moist as it reheats in the microwave.
Meatloaf is also easy to reheat in a standard oven or toaster oven. To do this, preheat your oven to 250℉.
While the oven is heating up, place the leftover meatloaf in an ovenproof shallow casserole dish. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to the bowl and cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil. The water provides extra moisture and creates steam in the oven, which keeps the leftover meatloaf from drying out as it heats. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the meatloaf is warmed through.
More weeknight meatloaf recipes to enjoy
- Bourbon BBQ Meatloaf
- BBQ Meatloaf Bites
- Greek meatloaf with spinach and feta
- Moroccan Meatloaf
Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf with Crispy Broccoli and Mustard Glazed Potatoes
ingredients
For the mini meatloaf
-
1/4 Cup unadorned breadcrumbs
-
2 tablespoon dried onion flakes
-
1 teaspoon paprika
-
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
-
1 teaspoon garlic powder
-
1 teaspoon Salt
-
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-
1 lb 85% ground beef
-
1 big egg
-
1 tablespoon tomato paste
-
1 tablespoon Worcester sauce
-
1/4 Cup barbecue saucestore bought or homemade
-
1 tablespoon fresh parsleyfinely chopped, for garnish (optional)
For the mustard glazed potatoes
-
1 tablespoon full grain Mustard
-
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
-
1 lb baby yellow potatoesquartered
-
1/4 teaspoon Salt
For the broccoli
-
3 cups broccoli florets
-
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
-
1/4 teaspoon Salt
method
-
Preheat the oven and prepare a baking sheet:
Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
If you want to prevent drips of fat from the meatloaf from transferring to the potatoes and broccoli, fold a piece of aluminum foil and place it on the sheet to create a divider. This isn’t necessary, but it can help keep the potatoes and broccoli crispy.
-
To prepare the meatloaf spice mix:
In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, onion flakes, paprika powder, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper.
-
Make the Meatloaf Mixture:
Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl and shred lightly with a fork or your hands. Add the dried spice mix to the bowl along with the egg, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Use a fork or your hands — I always hand-mix meatloaf — to mix the beef mixture well, but be careful not to mix too much. The meat mixture should be combined loosely and not compacted tightly.
-
Shape the mini meatloaf:
Shape the meatloaf mixture into a circle. Using your hands, cut the meat mixture into four quarters and shape each quarter into a small loaf. Place the mini meatloafs on one side of the parchment-lined baking sheet.
-
Glazing the Mini Meatloaf:
Use a spoon to coat each mini meatloaf with 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce, spreading evenly on top.
-
Preparing the potatoes:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat mustard and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Add the potatoes and salt, tossing to evenly coat the potatoes with the mustard mixture. Spread the potatoes on the other half of the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You use the same bowl to prepare the broccoli.
-
Bake Meatloaf and Potatoes:
Bake the meatloaf and potatoes for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the broccoli.
-
Prepare broccoli:
Rinse and dry the mixing bowl you used to prepare the potatoes. Add broccoli, 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt. Flip to coat the broccoli.
-
Add broccoli to the sheet pan and bake:
After 10 minutes, carefully remove the tray from the oven. Using a spatula, push the potatoes to one side of the sheet pan to make room for the broccoli.
Add the broccoli to the sheet pan and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the meatloaf is done. The meatloaf is done when the internal temperature reaches 160℉.
The potatoes should be golden and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The edges of the broccoli florets should be lightly browned.
Alternatively, you can slice the meatloaf to check doneness. The meatloaf is done when the meat is browned all the way through. If you press the top of a meatloaf and it holds its shape, it’s done. If the meatloaf dents slightly and doesn’t spring back to its original shape, it’s probably still raw and needs to cook longer.
-
Garnish and serve:
Garnish the meatloaf and vegetables with finely chopped fresh parsley, if you like, and serve.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 612 | calories |
| 29g | Fat |
| 49g | carbohydrates |
| 40g | protein |
